Women's he alth is fraught with many secrets and uncertainties. Any woman throughout her life is faced with a number of gynecological problems that can be easily solvable troubles or carry the prerequisites for the development of serious diseases. The first signs of problems in the well-established system of the body are non-specific discharge.
Often ailments relate to menstruation - monthly discharge of blood from the vagina. They contain a vaginal secret and a rejected mucous layer of the uterus, formed as a result of the rupture of an unfertilized egg. Normal menstruation lasts from 3 to 5 days, about 50 ml of discharge comes out per day. A woman of reproductive age rests from menstruation only during pregnancy.
Often the structure of secretions, their duration and nature may change. If you find dark discharge instead of menstruation or during them, this may be accompanied by many reasons. Find out the background andlet's figure out what it threatens in this article.
When not to worry?
In some cases, scanty dark discharge instead of menstruation can be justified. No reason to panic when:
- After a couple of days after the discharge, menstruation began.
- Dark spots on underwear appeared immediately after menstruation and quickly ended.
- You recently said goodbye to virginity. Discharge after the first intercourse is considered normal.
- Discharge was preceded by active prolonged sex. In this case, damage to the vaginal mucosa is possible, which is why the discharge appeared.
- You are using hormonal birth control, including patches, coils or pills. Then slight discharge may disturb during the menstrual cycle.
- Lactation period. Dark discharge instead of menstruation may indicate that the body has not yet come into shape after childbirth.
When to sound the alarm?
If you do not belong to any of the items on the above list, then you need to make an appointment with a gynecologist. Discharge speaks of serious consequences when:
- Dark spots on underwear appear in the middle of the cycle, but you do not take hormonal drugs.
- They are accompanied by itching, burning and dryness in the vagina, pain in the lower abdomen and during sexual contact.
- The body temperature rises.
- There is a possibility that you are expecting a baby. Then the discharge may signal a threatened miscarriage.
- Discharge appears after each sexual contact with the spouse.
- You are over 45 and haven't had your period in over a year.
- The discharge comes out in clots and is accompanied by an unpleasant odor.
Causes of occurrence
So, what causes dark discharge instead of menstruation? The reasons can be different, the most common ones are surgery shortly before the onset of discharge, pregnancy (including ectopic), breastfeeding period or the woman's age.
The appearance of stains on underwear is also provoked by external factors, such as:
- Improper eating or starvation diets.
- Moving to another climate zone or going on vacation.
- Taking medication or hormonal drugs.
- Intense physical activity.
- Infectious diseases.
- Stress or lifestyle changes.
- Failure in the metabolic system.
- Poisoning and intoxication of the body.
Thick discharge accompanied by clots and streaks may indicate aging of endometrial cells. During menstruation, obsolete exfoliated cells come out along with the secretions. If during menstruation not all cells have departed, then the remaining already darkened cells may be rejected in the middle of the menstrual cycle. They can be brown or black.
Such cases often occur with women at the beginning of menopause. At this time, establishedthe long-term cycle is broken, menstruation is less intense, and obsolete cells do not come out completely. This is the norm, but if menstruation ended about a year ago, and the discharge again makes itself felt, you need to contact a gynecologist.
Light brown discharge
Don't worry if you have light brown spots after your period. The discharge within a couple of days is considered the norm. If they last longer than three days after menstruation, you need to see a doctor. Another thing is if the stains on your underwear caught you suddenly in the middle of the cycle. Then such diseases can be to blame for everything:
- Cervical cancer or erosion if you notice discharge after every intercourse.
- Inflammation due to sexually transmitted infection. Discharge is accompanied by itching, burning, discomfort during urination and during sexual intercourse.
- Ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.
- Endometritis, which is accompanied by aching pain in the ovaries.
Discharge can be a consequence of microtrauma of the vagina, which occurs as a result of douching, sexual intercourse or gynecological examination. The main thing is to make sure that the injured area does not become a site for the development of infection.
Dark brown or black discharge
Most often, the shade of the discharge does not affect the diagnosis. Their color is affected by the amount of rejected blood. Darker discharge may signal the occurrence of the following diseases:
- Endometriosis.
- Ovarian cyst.
Dark brown discharge instead of menstruation can be triggered by surgery in the pelvic organs. For example:
- Scraping in the diagnosis of diseases.
- Surgery for ectopic pregnancy.
- Laparoscopy to remove the cyst.
- Removal of polyps in the uterus.
- Surgical abortion.
In these circumstances, dark brown discharge instead of menstruation without pain serves as a kind of cleanser of the body from the consequences of surgery. The color of the discharge can reach black, and the period is up to 10 days. If the discharge turns red and smells bad, it is an indication of an infection and you need to make an appointment with your doctor right away.
Discharge during sexual activity
With an active sexual life in a woman who neglects contraceptives, dark spotting instead of menstruation can be caused by pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage. There are cases when sexual life is regular, the couple is not protected, and the woman has a delay in critical days. Then she notices dark discharge, which can be of different intensity. The discharge passes, and their place is taken by normal menstruation. Such a process indicates a temporary hormonal failure in a woman's body.
When dark discharge occurs instead of menstruation, and menstruation does not come after them, it is recommended to take a pregnancy test and do an hCG analysis. This may indicate the beginning of pregnancy, when a fetal egg is formed and some blood is rejected. If the test is positive, the discharge is dangerous and is a sign of pathology - they indicate that the woman's body does not have enough hormones for the he althy development of pregnancy. For the fetus of a pregnant woman, those periods when menstruation has previously occurred are very dangerous and can provoke detachment of the endometrial layer.
An ectopic pregnancy can also cause discharge. The test will be positive, but only ultrasound can detect abnormal development. Therefore, it is important, after doing a test at home, to contact a gynecologist for a follow-up examination. With a strong hypothermia of the body, a woman may notice meager dark brown discharge instead of menstruation and a subsequent failure of the cycle. This is a clear sign of inflammation of the cervix or appendages.
After intercourse without a condom with a questionable partner, thick dark discharge may appear instead of menstruation, which are accompanied by:
- Burning and itching of the vagina (inside and out).
- Pain when urinating.
- Pain in the lower abdomen.
- Cutting during intercourse.
The presence of two or more symptoms from the list indicates the occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases. It can be syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia and other diseases. It is urgent to contact a gynecologist who will issue a referral for testing.
If the test is negative
If you suspect a pregnancy test at home showed a negative result, do not relaxcosts. With an ectopic pregnancy, the test may show one strip. Her early terms may be accompanied by cyclic pains in the lower abdomen, often a girl experiences something similar to toxicosis. The body reacts to a nonspecific pregnancy by producing hormones necessary for the development of the fetus, but with an ectopic course, the embryo is fixed not in the uterus, but in the fallopian tube.
Fallopian tubes are not prone to stretching, but the fetus continues to grow. Therefore, the walls of the fallopian tube are damaged, and the blood comes out in the form of dark (almost black) secretions. They can occur during the planned menstruation and after it. An ectopic pregnancy is dangerous not only for he alth, but also for the life of a woman, and its occurrence can only be detected by ultrasound and when taking an hCG test. We need to take this very seriously.
Discharge after pregnancy
Women have dark discharge after childbirth that lasts about 14 days. They are called lochia and may be brown in color and contain clots. This is a normal process in the body that prepares a woman for the normalization of the menstrual cycle. If a woman is breastfeeding and the baby is exclusively breastfed without complementary foods, there should be no periods.
The cycle normalization process is also accompanied by dark highlights. If unprotected sex occurred during this period, a pregnancy test should be done. In women who have given birth, ovulation occurs before the onset of the first menstruation, and a new pregnancy is likely. If the test is negative, but dark discharge instead of menstruation does not stop for several cycles and becomes thick, this is a reason to visit a doctor.
Discharge in the absence of sexual life
If a woman who has dark brown discharge instead of menstruation is not sexually active, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections are ruled out. In any case, a rather extensive list of reasons remains:
- Dramatic weight loss and starvation diets.
- Overwork or stress.
- Anemia.
- Vitamin-poor diet.
- Hormonal failures.
- Endometritis.
- Endometriosis.
- Ovarian cyst.
- Inflammation of the appendages.
- Excessive exercise.
Perhaps the most terrible thing that discharge can indicate is malignant tumors. Cervical cancer can be accompanied not only by dark spots on underwear before menstruation, but also by almost constant discharge. It must be remembered that most gynecological pathologies cause dark brown discharge.
Age changes
In girls just entering puberty, dark discharge instead of menstruation is a common occurrence. The menstrual cycle is just being established, ovulation may or may not occur. In the first year after the onset of menstruation, you do not need to worry about such secretions. But if the discharge continues for more than a year and has already become a habit, this is a reason to consult a gynecologist.
Scanty dark discharge instead of menstruation in women over 40 may indicate fading of ovarian function and changes in hormonal levels. Recently, doctors have noted a decrease in the age of menopause - if earlier it appeared in women after 45 years, now the first signs of menopause appear already at 38-40 years old.
Medicines and contraceptives
Girls who have just started taking oral contraceptives are wondering why dark discharge instead of menstruation? Tablets can provoke hormonal failure, which is why discharge appears. Also, when taking contraceptives, ovarian function often worsens in girls and endometrial atrophy develops.
Dark spots on underwear can appear due to taking inappropriate drugs if the woman herself prescribed the drug or the doctor prescribed the wrong pills. A failure in the menstrual cycle or discharge can also provoke an irregular intake of contraceptives. In addition, the activity of secretions may depend on the use of other anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics. Diet pills are also not uncommon for menstrual irregularities or dark discharge.
If 3-4 consecutive cycles of menstruation are irregular or brown discharge appears instead of them, you need to go to the gynecologist and ask for other pills. Dark discharge instead of menstruation can also appear as a result of any imbalance of hormones in a woman's body. With diabetes, hormonal deficiencythyroid gland, low prolactin levels often appear spotting.
If you have dark discharge instead of your period, but none of the above apply to you, try waiting a couple of days - maybe you are just a little late and the discharge is a precursor to your period. Otherwise, be sure to consult a doctor. He alth is what a woman should pay attention to first of all. A gynecologist should be visited at least once a year, even in the absence of any discomfort. Detecting a disease at an early stage and suppressing it in the bud is much easier than long and painful treatment.
